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Football

Road Trip to Fort Hays State On Tap for Mules Football Saturday

Game 8: Central Missouri (2-5, 2-5 MIAA) at Fort Hays State (1-6, 1-6 MIAA)
Saturday, Oct. 22 | 1 p.m. | Hays, Kan. (Lewis Field Stadium)
Radio: 1450 KOKO, 107.9 FM, 98.5 The BAR
TV: MIAA Network (PPV)

Live Stats | Live Audio | Game Notes (PDF)
SCENE SETTER
  • Central Missouri Mules football (2-5, 2-5 MIAA) is scheduled to make the long trek out to Hays, Kan., for a 1 p.m. MIAA contest against the Fort Hays State Tigers (1-6, 1-6 MIAA) Saturday, Oct. 22, at Lewis Field Stadium.
  • UCM is coming off a 20-17 win over Missouri Southern in the annual Central Missouri Homecoming Game Saturday, Oct. 15, in Warrensburg while Fort Hays State dropped a 35-23 decision at Central Oklahoma Oct. 15.
  • 2022 marks the 125th season in Mules football history.
  • In the MIAA Football Preseason Polls, UCM was picked in a tie for seventh in the coaches' poll and ninth in the media poll. Fort Hays State was tabbed fifth in both preseason polls.
ON THE AIR
  • Saturday's game will be broadcast live on 1450 KOKO, 98.5 The Bar, the new 107.9 FM and warrensburgradio.com with Greg Hassler calling the action and either Brinkley Beever or Jason Ketz on the sidelines.
  • The game will also be webcast online through Central Missouri's Blueframe Internet portal at http://www.themiaanetwork.com/ucmmules. It is a pay-to-view webcast. MIAA Network content is available live via DVR and is immediately archived for on-demand viewing after each event.
  • All MIAA football games are also available for viewing on The MIAA Network Apps for Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV and Roku.
MULE LEADERS
  • Offense: With seven games in the books, the Mules are paced offensively by redshirt sophomore quarterback Cedric Case (148-of-231 with 5 INT, 1579 yds, 9 TD, 78 long, 225.6 yds/game, 140 yds rushing, 2 rushing TD), redshirt senior running back Xavier Jackson (25 catches, 300 yds, 1 TD, 55 long, 42.9 receiving yds/game, 68 carries, 202 net yds, 3 TD, 20 long, 28.9 yds/game) and redshirt junior receiver Arkell Smith (28 catches, 404 yds, 5 TD, 78 long, 57.7 yds/game).
  • Defense: Through seven games, UCM is paced defensively by redshirt sophomore defensive back Noah Blair (56 tackles [35 unassisted/21 assisted], 2 TFL/3 yds, 3 INT/83 yds, 4 breakup) and redshirt sophomore linebacker Cale Miller (33 tackles [16 unassisted, 17 assisted], 4 TFL/5 yds, 1 breakup, 1 sack/2 yds, 1 INT/0 yds).
  • Special Teams: Redshirt junior kicker Samuel Knowlton is 6-for-8 in field goals converted, hitting a season-long 42-yarder at Pittsburg State...Redshirt freshman punter Ethan Brown has 34 punts for 1,426 yards with an average distance of 41.9 yards and a long of 58. He has placed eight punts inside the 20-yard line and has four punts of at least 50 yards.
LAST TIME OUT FOR THE MULES
  • Arkell Smith had 102 receiving yards and Cedric Case tallied 274 yards on 28 passes leading the Central Missouri Mules football team to a 20-17 victory over the Missouri Southern Lions in the 2022 University of Central Missouri Homecoming Game Saturday afternoon, Oct. 15, at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
  • Smith, a redshirt junior wide receiver from Carthage, Mo., tallied his 102 yards through the air on eight catches, including a seven-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter while Case went 28-for-36 with a TD and a long of 29 yards for his 274 yards on the day.
  • Xavier Jackson added 67 rushing yards on 18 carries, and freshman Marcellous Hawkins compiled 64 yards on nine carries and scored on a five-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, rounding out the Central Missouri offensive leaders.
  • Kingsley Ayeni, IV, Diondre Glover, Cale Miller and David Olajiga all had a team-best five tackles. Miller added a two-yard sack and two tackles-for-loss for three yards while Glover reeled in an interception and had four pass breakups. Jaden Dawson forced a fumble and Azaiah Bello had a pair of fumble recoveries, and Isaac Montgomery posted a six-yard tackle-for-loss, wrapping up the UCM defensive top performers in the victory.
  • UCM kicker Samuel Knowlton went a perfect 2-of-2 in field-goal attempts with two, 21-yard conversions.
  • For the game, the Mules outgained the Lions (4-3, 4-3 MIAA), 427-316, including a 153-145 advantage in rushing yards and 274-171 edge in passing yards. UCM also controlled the possession game, posting a 35:31 to 24:29 in time-of-possession.
SERIES HISTORY
  • Saturday's game at Fort Hays State will be the 18th meeting in the all-time series going back to the inaugural encounter in 1964. The Mules lead the series, 10-7. Last season, UCM fell to Fort Hays State, 21-17, Oct. 23 in Warrensburg. Central Missouri leads the series in Hays, Kan., 5-3, but hasn't won at Lewis Field Stadium since a 14-12 victory on Nov. 3, 2012.
LAST TIME OUT VS. FORT HAYS STATE
  • The Fort Hays State Tigers scored a touchdown with 26 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to stun the University of Central Missouri Mules, 21-17, in the annual UCM Homecoming Game Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021, at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
  • Central Missouri trailed Fort Hays State, 14-7 when UCM quarterback Logan Twehous capped-off a six-play, 59-yard drive with a six-yard run into the end zone, tying the game, 14-14, with 9:18 to go in the fourth quarter.
  • The Mules and Tigers remained in a deadlock until Chris Diddle connected on a 26-yard field-goal with 3:04 remaining, giving Central Missouri its first lead of the game, 17-14.
  • Fort Hays State had an answer, though, and drove 75 yards on nine plays in under three minutes, capping off what proved to be the game-winning drive with a three-yard touchdown pass from FHSU quarterback Chance Fuller to Hayden Wiltfong with 26 ticks to go in the fourth quarter.
  • Twehous went 28-for-42 with 322 yards and one touchdown and added 26 yards and a TD on the ground to lead the Mules, while Cameron Saunders had eight receptions for 156 yards and Koby Wilkerson rushed for 44 yards on 14 attempts.
  • Receiver Drew Slager, who returned to the field after missing four games due to injury, scored a touchdown and tallied 55 yards on eight catches.
  • Codie Bell led the Central Missouri defense, totaling 12 tackles, including eight solo and four assisted, and making a 17-yard interception, while Clay Griffin and Marques Cooper each had quarterback sacks.
  • Fuller went 25-for-37 with 346 yards, a pair of TDs and an interception, Josh Okechukwu compiled 148 yards on nine receptions and Keylan Chapman rushed for 58 yards on 11 carries, leading Fort Hays State offensively.
  • Myles Menges had eight tackles, pacing the Tiger defense.
  • Central Missouri outgained Fort Hays State in the game, 435-430, including a 113-51 advantage in rushing, but were outgained in the air by FHSU, 379-322.
ABOUT THE TIGERS
  • The Fort Hays State Tigers are 1-6 overall and in MIAA action after falling at Central Oklahoma Saturday, Oct. 15, 35-23.
  • Through seven games, the Lions are paced offensively by sophomore quarterback Jack Dawson (83-of-144, 6 INT, 1110 yds, 8 TD, 48 long, 185.0 yds/game, 87 yds rushing, 4 rushing TD), junior running back Adrian Soto (92 carries, 405 yds, 3 TD, 40 long, 57.9 yds/game) and senior wide receiver Manny Ramsey (35 catches, 558 yds, 4 TD, 43 long, 79.7 yds/game).
  • On the defensive side of the football seven games in, FHSU is led by junior linebacker Makel Williams (50 tackles [27 unassisted, 23 assisted] 1.5 TFL/6 yds, 1 breakup, 1 INT, 1 forced fumble) and sophomore defensive lineman Jeremiah Jackson-Trotter (26 tackles [18 unassisted, 8 assisted], 8.5 TFL/51 yds, 5.5 sacks/41 yds, 1 INT, 2 breakup, 1 forced fumble)
  • Freshman kicker Emanuel Aguilar is 6-for-8 in field goals through seven contests with a long of 47 yards...Sophomore punter Ethan Sossen has 29 punts on the season for 1,176 yards with an average distance of 40.6 yards per punt. He has a long of 61 yards and has placed seven punts inside the 20. Six of his punts have gone for at least 50 yards.
  • The Tigers are fourth in the MIAA in passing offense with 1,804 yards through the air and an average of 257.7 passing yards per game.
THE MULES IN MIAA PLAY
  • UCM is 2-5 in MIAA action entering Saturday's contest at Fort Hays State.
  • Through seven games, the Mules lead the conference in interceptions with nine for 88 yards.
  • Noah Blair is tied for the MIAA lead with three interceptions for 83 yards entering the weekend. He is also tied for sixth in the conference with 56 total tackles.
  • Cedric Case is fourth in the conference in passing 1,579 yards through the air through seven games. He is fifth in total offense with 1,719 yards and 245.6 yards per game.
  • Arkell Smith is eighth in receiving in the MIAA with 57.7 yards per game.
THE MULES AT HOME
  • The Mules are 253-186-13 overall and 2022 will be their 90th season playing home games at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field.
  • Under Josh Lamberson, Central Missouri is 2-1 at home.
SCORING STREAK CONTINUES
  • Central Missouri has scored in 321 straight games.
  • The streak dates to week three of the 1991 season.
MULES FOOTBALL HISTORY
  • In the 124 seasons of UCM Football the Mules have compiled a 582-531-51 record.
  • The Mules have won 10 or more games four times in the history of the program and have posted 13 seasons of eight or more wins.
  • UCM tied the program-record for wins in a season with 11 in 2019. The Mules also won 11 games in 2010 -- Josh Lamberson's first season as offensive coordinator for UCM.
  • UCM has won or shared 13 MIAA championships in school history with the last coming in 2019.
  • The Mules have qualified for the postseason 10 times in their history, including three trips to the NCAA-II Playoffs, the last coming in 2019.
MULES IN THE PROS
  • Former Mules' All-American tight end Zach Davidson (2016-2020) was selected in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings.
  • He marked the 12th Mules football player to be drafted in program history and the first since former UCM standout tight end Delanie Walker in 2006.
  • In program history, 78 Central Missouri football players have either been drafted or signed professional free-agent contracts.
  • ON THE HORIZON
  • The Mules return home to Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field for a 1 p.m. MIAA contest against Lincoln Saturday, Oct. 29.
ON THE HORIZON
  • The Mules return home to Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field for a 1 p.m. MIAA contest against Lincoln Saturday, Oct. 29.  
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Players Mentioned

Codie Bell

#1 Codie Bell

DB
5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
Marques Cooper

#6 Marques Cooper

LB
5' 11"
Redshirt Senior
Chris Diddle

#98 Chris Diddle

K
6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
Cameron Saunders

#2 Cameron Saunders

WR
6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
Drew Slager

#11 Drew Slager

WR
5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
Logan Twehous

#12 Logan Twehous

QB
6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
Koby Wilkerson

#5 Koby Wilkerson

RB
6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
Azaiah Bello

#2 Azaiah Bello

LB
6' 2"
Redshirt Junior
Noah Blair

#19 Noah Blair

DB
6' 3"
Redshirt Sophomore
Ethan Brown

#24 Ethan Brown

P
6' 1"
Redshirt Freshman

Players Mentioned

Codie Bell

#1 Codie Bell

5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
DB
Marques Cooper

#6 Marques Cooper

5' 11"
Redshirt Senior
LB
Chris Diddle

#98 Chris Diddle

6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
K
Cameron Saunders

#2 Cameron Saunders

6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
WR
Drew Slager

#11 Drew Slager

5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
WR
Logan Twehous

#12 Logan Twehous

6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
QB
Koby Wilkerson

#5 Koby Wilkerson

6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
RB
Azaiah Bello

#2 Azaiah Bello

6' 2"
Redshirt Junior
LB
Noah Blair

#19 Noah Blair

6' 3"
Redshirt Sophomore
DB
Ethan Brown

#24 Ethan Brown

6' 1"
Redshirt Freshman
P